Drunk & Hungover
by xEmrys
Summary: Merlin/Arthur - After an evening with the Knights, Arthur manages to get himself drunk. Later, winds up visiting his servant and doing something unexpected... But what happens the day after? - A short fiction and it's sequel.
1. Drunk

**Drunk**

Merlin finally decided to get some sleep. In fact, he decided to get some sleep over an hour ago – but ended up reading his magic book. He _should_ have been cleaning the Princes boots after 'accidentally' knocking muddy water over them; but, that's another story. Instead he allowed a cloth to clean them itself...

His head hit his pillow and he started drifting off, until something rather weird happened. His royal highness – Prince Arthur – burst into his room, not looking quite himself. The cloth and his boots fell from the air and hit the floor with a thump. Merlin sprung out of bed, hoping that his master hadn't noticed that – although, by the looks of things – even if he had, he wouldn't remember by tomorrow. Or maybe he would think it was a figment of his imagination.

Arthur stumbled around the room, almost tripping up his own feet. He seemed to have no balance or sense of direction. "OH!" Merlin blurt out, when he realised what was going on. Gwaine had convinced the future king and the knights of the round table to go for a drink at a tavern. The young warlock himself had also been invited, but he declined the offer for multiple reasons. Mainly because he had stuff to do, he also remembered what happened the last time he was in a tavern.

"Merlin!" Arthur cried, grinning at his manservant, "I missed you..."

The smell of ale, cider and mead flew around the room, making the poor warlocks nose tingle. "You're drunk!"

"You're sexy!" his grin grew and they were bound to wake the court physician if they didn't keep quiet. Arthur was being uncommonly noisy and this drunk Arthur was near the top of Merlin's 'things I **never** want to see' list. He was a big-headed royal prat as it was, without being a drunken one.

"Seriously Arthur, you need to get some rest and preferably a bucket to puck in. I don't want to be cleaning up after you tomorrow." he shivered at the thought. Who knew where the prince could be sick? Probably all over his bed sheets.

"I am **not **drunk! You will be put in the stocks for even mentioning it young man!" he point at the wizard and wobbled over to the end of his bed.

"_Young man?" _Merlin thought, along with, _"You so _are****_drunk!" _So plastered that it sounded like he had said, "Ah ham noh drunk! Y-hoo will beh put ih tha stocks fa he-van mentionin' it y-hung man!" He certainly wasn't speaking a proper language, his speech was slurred, he let out a few hiccups every now and again and he had lost all muscle coordination. Clear signs of a drunk; plus the smell of course.

The prince sat him self next to Merlin and started singing, whilst swinging he legs back and forth. God knows if what he was singing was even a real song, or just a bunch of words cried out in a tune of some sort. How much more would his servant have to endure, and why had Gaius not come to save him yet? Surely he couldn't be sleeping through this. Arthur was being so loud he could wake the dead!

Soon he started laughing to him self and turned to face the warlock, "Y'know, you're the best manservant ever." The poor boy almost believed it for a second, but those words were probably not his own.

"Come on Sire," he stood up, "time for bed," he tried to ignore the Princes moans and refusals. He was acting like a child who didn't want to go to sleep. For a moment Merlin imagined a younger Arthur throwing at large temper tantrum. The thought made him chuckle to him self and he was thankful that this dollop head wasn't acting _quite_ that way.

He pulled the blond man's hand a tried to get him to stand up, which wasn't hard. He seem light and hardly had any control over his own body. At least that meant Merlin could move him to his own chambers easily. He put Arthur's arm over his shoulders and wrapped his own around his waist to support him.

They made their way out into the main part of Gaius' quarters and were surprised to see the old man still sleeping and snoring like a pig. They walked – sort of – along the corridors towards Arthur's chambers, the prince still singing while he was it it. The sound of his voice bouncing of the walls and echoing around the castle.

Merlin lead his master into his own room and watched as he fell of the floor. Maybe he shouldn't have let him go in order to close the door. Part of him felt guilty, but a larger part found it hilarious. He couldn't help laughing whilst trying to stand the dunked back on his feet. "You cannot laugh at me, Merlin. I am royalty!"

His words were still slurred, which made him sound utterly ridiculous. Merlin couldn't take him seriously and wondered what tomorrow would be like. Would he be able to look at his master without remembering tonight? He continued to laugh as he helped Arthur over to his bed, almost throwing him on it.

"Merlin?" Arthur asked after his servant, making she he was still there, "When I am King, will you still be here?" he had gone from a happy, singing drunk to a sloppy, emotional one in a matter of seconds. What went through a plastered man's head? Merlin remembered drinking a little too much with Lancelot once, but it didn't do more than give him a slight hangover.

"Of course I will, Sire." he was still smiling. Wondering what had suddenly come over the future king. He had to stay, it was his _destiny, _but deep down he knew he would stay even if it wasn't. The Prince was a handful at times and Merlin knew he was no more than a servant, yet he liked to think that he had made a friend in Arthur. An unbreakable bond.

The prince at up and his blue eyes seemed to smile. Although, eyes can't actually smile. The man started grinning like a five year old child on Christmas day. He stood up and put his hands on Merlin's shoulders. Before the young warlock had time to gather his thoughts their lips were locked. His face turned beet-red as he started at the face in front of him.

He pushed the blond, drunk away and stumbled back wards, hopping on one leg for a moment while he tried to regain his balance. His heart was skipping beats and his breathing was heavy. He was partial dazed and the Prince looked some what disappointed by his servants reaction. He pouted slightly, before getting up and wobbling towards the wizard. Merlin began backing up, until he could go no further. Soon he was stuck between Arthur and a wall. Yes a damned wall!

The sorcerer squeezed his eyes shut as their lips met again. This time Arthur was more forceful and hurt Merlin's nose as he pressed their lips together. The warlock opened his eyes and they suddenly turned golden-yellow as he incanted a spell. Arthur instantly fell to the floor and a sigh of relief escaped the boys mouth.

Why did Merlin find it amusing that he has just put the Prince to sleep and he was now lying by his feet? Still rather embarrassed he lay the prince on his bed, wondering how long it would have taken for the alcohol to knock him out. He knew he could have waited for the booze to do its job, but he didn't want to have to deal with erratic behaviour.

With the help of magic, he spun Arthur onto his pillows and pulled his sheets over him, allowing the man to sleep off all that had just passed. Had he always looked so adorable when he was sleeping? Merlin couldn't help kissing him on the forehead, before turning away. _"Right, your sleep deprived." _he told himself and escaped the room.

When he was finally back in his own room, he couldn't help wondering what tomorrow would be like. How many people had heard Arthur's singing and would he be haunted by memories? He brushed it to one side. What ever happens tomorrow, he would deal with then...

For now, he closed his eyes and finally managed to get that sleep he should have been getting a couple of hours ago. An almost peaceful sleep, that seemed to be filled with the Prince we all know and love. Merlin was going to kick himself in the morning...

**THE END**


	2. Hungover

**Hungover**

Merlin woke really early, feeling like there was something he needed to do. Something important, but what was it? Obviously he has to serve the prince and see to multiple errands. Knowing his luck he would probably have to save Camelot at the same time and all the while have to hide who he truly was.

He rubbed his head, trying to fathom out why he feared waking Arthur this morning. As usual he would probably have something thrown at him, get called names and be ordered around, but that was nothing new. Nothing he wasn't already used too.

"_Maybe it's because he was drunk last night..."_ the boy thought to himself, it took a while for what he had thought to actually sink in, _"Wait, he was drunk last night? Oh god..." _Yes, that was it. He had to wake a prince with a likely hangover and deal with anyone who had heard or possibly even _seen_ what happened last night.

"Rough night?" was Merlin's greeting when he left his room and hopped down the stairs. If you call a couple of steps 'stairs'. He simply nodded, not questioning why he had been asked. "Yes I suppose it was, not every night is as eventful as that."

The warlock could feel his mouth hanging open, for a moment he wondered it it was touching the floor. "B-but you were asleep!"

"My boy, how couldanyone sleep through _that_?" Gaius chuckled and Merlin had to resist the urge to shout something back at him. He was awake the whole time and didn't offer to help out! The poor boy had to suffer alone when he could have had a little support! Maybe he could have prevented what happened in the end... Like that kiss... Merlin blushed at the thought and quickly brushed it to one side. Maybe Arthur wouldn't remember?

**-x-**

Merlin took a deep breath, before silently entering Arthur's bed chambers where the Prince was still sleeping peacefully. Although, he had clearly tossed about in his sleep a little, due to the fact that his bed sheets seemed to be all over the place and one of his pillows was on the floor.

He had managed to enter his masters room but, the question 'What next?' seemed to be a problem. _"Right, I will just forget last night and pretend it didn't happen. Get on with my usual chores and keep calm." _He could tell him self that for the rest of his life, but it wouldn't happen. Last night he witnessed the weirdest thing ever. He has fought evil sorcerers, goblins, afancs, questing beasts and god knows what else and yet none of it compared to what happened under twelve hours ago.

"You know what, maybe I'll just go into hibernation for a while..." he sighed and looked down at his boots. Finally deciding that he would start by getting the Prince some breakfast and then, god forbid, wake him up. There probably wouldn't be any point in doing so, he certainly wouldn't be fit enough to do much and might end up sleeping the day away anyway. But then, if Merlin didn't get him up he might end up in the stocks.

He left the room and returned some time later with the royal breakfast, setting it down on the table and proceeding on with his plan. It took a bit of self motivation, but eventually he was able to pull the curtains back and call, "Rise and shine!"

Arthur groaned and squeezed his eyes shut. He seemed to be light sensitive all of a sudden and buried his head under his pillows. All but one, which still sat on the floor, cold and alone. Merlin snickered at the sight before him, a hungover prince.

After a couple of minutes the monarch sat up and stared at the wall before him. His hair was all over the place, sticking up on all directions and he looked like he was trying to remember how his body worked, attempting to regain full control over his muscles. He watched as his servant striated the room out and noticed he was acting a little strange.

"Your breakfast is ready, sire." Arthur heard Merlin call to him as he was changing behind the screen, but he never replied.

During that time Merlin tried to figure out what was wrong with him. He refused to help the the Prince change and came up with some lousy excuse as to why. He didn't like being within 10 feet of the man and couldn't look at him at all. At least, he tried not to. Was it all because of that stupid kiss? _"Really Merlin, it's not like it was any good anyway... Besides it wasn't _real_ and why would you want it to be?" _The poor boy was so oblivious...

Soon Arthur had finished getting dressed and was eating his breakfast. An appetising meal that consisted of white bread, some cooked ham and for some unknown reason he had been given half a dozen pickled eggs. For a start, he didn't know where Merlin got the idea that he liked pickled eggs for breakfast, but on top of that why had he been given six? He was struggling to eat as it was, without having six pickled eggs on top!

"Arthur," Merlin was about to attempt fate, "Do you remember what happened last night?"

"The last thing I remember was telling Gwain I would only have one drink and ending up having over five!"

The wizard nodded and tried to ignore the Princes 'why-what-happened' stare. Luckily for him, he wasn't questioned, although Arthur _did _want to know why he had asked. Merlin felt relived all of a sudden and was soon back to his normal self. Calling his master names and being a servant. It was once again a normal day in Camelot.

**-x-**

Arthur had only been up for a few hours when he started seeing images in his head. Memories of a forgotten night. He sat staring into the fire, focusing completely on the images going round in his head.

"_Aw, come on Arthur!" Gwain called as Arthur stood up to leave the tavern, "Just one more drink, I promise," the prince wasn't going to fall for it. He had been saying that since their first drink and that 'one more' would turn into another. He had lost count of how much he had drunk in the end._

_Now he had finally decided to leave, along with several other knights. If they didn't, the bar owner would have probably thrown them out himself. They all stood up and wobbled out of the building, arm in arm singing babies lullaby's at the top of their voices. They wandered through the market town for a while, not really paying any attention to where they were going, before splitting up. _

_Arthur found himself unsure what to do, he knew he needed to get some sleep, but wanted to see his servant first. The young man he has started to admire and see in a different light. With that thought on his mind he made his way towards Gaius' quarters. _

"Arthur?" Merlin said for the sixth time. The future king hadn't realised his servant was calling his name. The dark haired man stood in front of him, waving his hand in front of his eyes. "Helloo? Are you there?"

"Oh stop it, Merlin. Of course I am here, where else would I be?" he replied after blinking and shaking his head gently. Though, even the slightest shake hurt. It felt like his brain was rattling around inside his skull.

"I dunno, you could have entered a trance or something..." Arthur glared at his manservant, his usual shut-the-heck-up glare. "Erm anyway, Gaius told me to give you this. I should help with the erm... hangover."

The prince took a small vial from Merlin's hands and downed it in one. Not looking at the liquid inside or stopping to smell it as if it were a rose. I tasted disgusting, "What was in that?" he grimaced.

Merlin laughed and told him it was best if he didn't know. He really wouldn't like the answer. Arthur just agreed and returned to the fire, eventually falling asleep for a while...

**-x-**

Merlin hopped back and forth between Arthur and his duties_, _it was peaceful and easy since the prince fell into a deep slumber and hadn't woken for a few hours. The warlock accidentally bumped into Guinevere in the corridor, due to the fact he was carrying a large pile of sheets, so tall he couldn't see over the top of them.

"I am so sorry." he apologised as he helped the young woman up and started picking up what he had dropped, "What are you doing here?"

"I was on my way to see Gaius, I hoped he could make something to deal with the knights hangovers." she explained and Merlin rose an eyebrow, "The boys, they got drunk last night," he nodded, knowing that part, "I am having to deal with them all. So relieved that I don't have Arthur on top, how is he?"

"He's sleeping at the moment."

"Really? Wow, I wish the others were. They are complaining like a bunch of girls. What did you do, knock him out with a brick?" Gwen joked and the two laughed for a moment, "Did you see him last night?"

Merlin's smile dropped, he hadn't been thinking about _then_ for a reason. Why was it haunting him! Quickly he put his grin back on before anyone noticed, "Yeah, he was completely out of his mind," Gwen was becoming curious, but didn't question the young man. She knew it would have been rude and had more manners than that. "I have to return to him. Gaius gave me a remedy for Arthur, he should be able to mix you up a few."

They parted ways with Merlin eager to escape the subject. Suddenly he was feeling weird again, but blessed that the Prince didn't remember past events... That he knew off...

**-x-**

"I believe I owe you an apology," Arthur said as Merlin walked into the room. The wizard didn't actually know what the prince was talking about, so he passed it off as sleepy speech. "Did you hear me _Mer_lin?"

"What have you got to apologise for, sire?" he questioned, a little bit confused. Arthur never apologised, least of all to him. Even when he knew he had done or said something wrong.

"For what I-" he cleared his throat, "For my actions last night." his face turned bright red. As did Merlin's, but he was hidden behind that pile of sheets.

"Y-y-you remember t-that?" Merlin stammered and stepped around the room, walking sideways just to hide his beet red face. He couldn't believe it. How long had the prat known? Had he ever forgotten it?

"Faintly," the warlock thought he was going to collapse. His mind and heart were racing for reasons he couldn't imagine. His whole body was getting hot and he began to feel light headed. It wasn't surprising when he actually did fall to his knees; throwing the clean washing all over the place.

Arthur was soon by his side, helping him up. The scene looked familiar, they were stood the way they had last night, only in opposite positions. They stood still for a while as Merlin felt extremely dizzy. For a moment he though the room was spinning. "Do you remember passing out?"

Merlin worried that if the prince remembered last night, had he seen his magic? The last thing he wanted was to be burnt for sorcery. He didn't know how Arthur would react, "Yes, you must have been relived," he was taking that as a no. He hadn't be caught.

Arthur sat Merlin on his bed where, at least if he did faint he wouldn't hurt himself. Luckily he was starting to feel a little better. The future king spoke again, "I can explain what happened-"

"There's no need. You were drunk. I understand completely."

"No, I mean yes, I was drunk, but still..." he trailed off and ended up getting weird looks from his manservant. What was he going to say. If he said what he wanted to, would that spoil the friendship between them. Merlin on the other hand, was completely oblivious to what was going on and had no idea what Arthur was trying to say. Not even the slightest suspicion."Merlin, you said last night, that you will still be here when I am king. Why?"

That question took the warlock by surprise, he found himself speechless and unsure how to answer. Why would he stay by Arthur's side? He knew it was more than destiny, but was it friendship? The prince was getting impatient and the silence was driving him insane. "Okay, that's it!" he cried and before Merlin could ask what was wrong, their lips were touching for the second, no, third time.

The kiss felt different to that of the kisses last night, this one was passionate and almost romantic, it felt nice. Suddenly Merlin understood _everything, _his feelings and Arthur's,"I would stand by you because I care for you, my lord." **THE END**


End file.
